Covid lateral tests and symptoms

onashoestring

Sea_Shell said:

I wonder for how long we'll have to carry on self isolating and testing with "symptoms".   

When can we again suffer with a cough or temparature and "soldier on"?

Will workplaces continue to accept this as a reason for being off sick, long term, and when (if) will the government's messaging change?

1 year, 2, 5, ever?

(I say "we" meaning as a nation, not personally, as I don't work!)

If you have symptoms & get tested and the result is negative - you can “soldier on” if you chose - confident that you are not spreading COVID to your colleagues.  Workplaces have to think of all their employees and protect them, when someone phones in sick and says that are self-isolating due to a positive COVID test many workplaces will ask to see confirmation of the test result . They are required by law to protect their staff and I am glad to work for an employer that takes my personal safety seriously by making sure any staff with symptoms get tested. 

epm-84

onashoestring said:

Sea_Shell said:

I wonder for how long we'll have to carry on self isolating and testing with "symptoms".   

When can we again suffer with a cough or temparature and "soldier on"?

Will workplaces continue to accept this as a reason for being off sick, long term, and when (if) will the government's messaging change?

1 year, 2, 5, ever?

(I say "we" meaning as a nation, not personally, as I don't work!)

If you have symptoms & get tested and the result is negative - you can “soldier on” if you chose - confident that you are not spreading COVID to your colleagues.  Workplaces have to think of all their employees and protect them, when someone phones in sick and says that are self-isolating due to a positive COVID test many workplaces will ask to see confirmation of the test result . They are required by law to protect their staff and I am glad to work for an employer that takes my personal safety seriously by making sure any staff with symptoms get tested. 

Pre-COVID I've caught viruses brought in to the workplace by others, which have resulted in me getting sick enough to be unable to work.  Employers really need to question if people who are a bit ill should be in work, while it may seem a good idea to allow someone to work opposed to having them not working, if they end up passing on the virus to colleagues and then getting sicker themselves then it can result in a few people being off work sick, is that really the best solution?

I expect long term we'll now see a trend of if someone is slightly sick they'll be expected to work from home where possible.

Sea_Shell

Then employers really need to change their policies around recording sickness as a "black mark" if they'd rather staff stay off sick with something "catching" not just Covid.

I'm mainly talking about "the future" once Covid is accepted as endemic.

sheramber

Some people may have no more than what seems to be a common cold. 
Where do you draw the line as to what justifies being off 'sick' and what doesn't.

silvercar

Now that working from home has become more acceptable for office type rules, I’m sure that previously people who were too sick to go to the office could work from home.

epm-84

silvercar said:

Now that working from home has become more acceptable for office type rules, I’m sure that previously people who were too sick to go to the office could work from home.

I agree.  I think by winter 2021/2022 it'll be commonplace to have sick people working from home and only the very sick not working at all, except for roles where working from home is not possible.

Filo25

Sea_Shell said:

I wonder for how long we'll have to carry on self isolating and testing with "symptoms".   

When can we again suffer with a cough or temparature and "soldier on"?

Will workplaces continue to accept this as a reason for being off sick, long term, and when (if) will the government's messaging change?

1 year, 2, 5, ever?

(I say "we" meaning as a nation, not personally, as I don't work!)

I actually welcome this if it is a permanent change as I can do my job perfectly acceptably from home!

Always got annoyed by presenteeism from people bringing infectious diseases into the office when they could just as easily have worked from home.

Obviously a lot tougher if you aren't able to work remotely.

Sea_Shell

As I understand it from my ex colleagues, working from home wasn't an easy or quick fix thing to do.  

It may be industry dependant, but they took a few days to collect PCs, screens and other periferys, to get their workstations set up.   Some people didn't drive so needed to have their stuff delivered.   One young girl didn't even have a home laptop, just her phone!

Not something you can necessarily set up at the drop of a hat for a couple of days sniffles.

DanS1

I think I will have to call in sick anyway even if it isn't Covid as I feel really unwell and my balance is off. Just nervous as I've only been there for a short while.

briskbeats

One thing I would like to see being retained post Covid (whenever that is) are the screens at tills/checkouts. As before, shop staff (including myself) have been coughed on, sneezed on by customers who don't cover up mouths when doing these. We caught many colds because of this. I didn't have a cold this year. I only can think of two colleagues getting colds and got them from their grandchildren as in support bubble.

Plus the screens offer security as seen for myself, customers throwing things at staff or attacking them.

On visiting supermarkets abroad (before covid, never went abroad last year) - some of the supermarkets had the screens